Boys & Girls Clubs of Washington COVID-19 Response

Clubs kids have returned to the Clubs with joy and excitement!  Clubs are a positive place to be, spend time with friends, get assistance with homework and learn new skills with help from a professional mentor. This year, more than ever, kids need additional support to overcome the effects of learning interruptions, social isolation, anxiety, and even loss caused by the pandemic. The Clubs are investing every resource available to create a space where kids can be kids again.

The emotional toll experienced by children is a heavy one. WA Clubs are creating programs, activities and spaces where Club members can discuss their concerns, address challenges, learn better coping skills and increase their resilience. We are training our staff in trauma-informed care and positive behavior management, while connecting Club families with additional resources in their communities. And we continue to invest in fun: hands on science projects, lots of arts and crafts, daily opportunities for physical activity and outdoor time.

"Our daughter has had a WONDERFUL time at Boys & Girls club finishing out the last few months of aftercare when the pandemic first hit, through last summer, and ALL of the 2020/2021 school year. The club is where she could let out all that pent up energy from the day, play with friends and staff, and have some "normalcy" to her day," Club parents from Lawton Elementary Club in Seattle.

With your continued support, the Clubs remain a safe and positive place for kids to enjoy after school!

As Washington State celebrated its official reopening on June 30th, 2021, WA State Boys & Girls Clubs are busy implementing summer programs for our Club kids. These programs are focused on helping our members regain a sense of normalcy, build on their resilience, and assess what supports they may need to prepare for return to in-person school in Fall of 2021. Most of the focus in our Summer programs is on fun, connection with peers, healthy outdoor activities and high-yield learning opportunities that will keep our members' brains and imaginations engaged.

Here is what our Club parents have shared with us about their children's experience at our Clubs during the pandemic:

My son RH had a great time at rotary this year. He had help with daily assignments from the staff, he always had a computer and desk to use when he left his home laptop. He would always come home and tell me stories about how fun gym time and was, and tell me how often he washed his hands. He was encouraged to spend time with friends and play games even though we were in a pandemic. He felt safe at Rotary and still does!

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I am so grateful to Ballard Boys and Girls Club and to all the staff there, especially Dennis and Kara. When everything was closed down completely last year and the early part of this year, it was such a relief to have a place still available to help me care for my 11 year old son. What's more, the facilities were being run in an extremely safe and measured way, protecting both the staff and the kids. He went to a couple weeks of camp in summer 2020 and then during the school days 3 days a week when school was all virtual.

My son has always loved going to the BGC, and he continued to love it, even during the Covid restrictions. This means that the staff are a group of very special people, who can re-create an excellent program and adapt to really difficult circumstances. If the kids are not stressed by it, then you know the staff are doing an excellent job to make them feel secure in spite of what might otherwise be a very stressful situation.

Many thanks to everyone there.

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We appreciate your past support that has allowed our Clubs to remain open, serve families in need, and weather the storms of the pandemic!

We look forward to a stronger, healthier and more connected community of Clubs and families in the school year ahead, and the Clubs will continue to play a critical role in youth development and family support for our members and outreach youth!

Thank you,

Katya Miltimore

Executive Director

Boys & Girls Clubs of Washington State 

Association and Alliance

Links:

• 2020 WA Clubs Annual Report